Newbie's guide to The Moonsea
((Updated as of 8/7/2010)) ((Twilight Eyes)) ((Here is a link to the PRC User’s Guide, which has a lot of information on the classes, feats, etc. that make the Player’s Resource Consortium so much fun! http://www.nwnprc.com/nwn/index.html)) ''Introduction '' Greetings, and welcome to the Moonsea! I’m pretty new here myself, so I thought I might write down a few thoughts as far as getting acquainted with the lands, the people, and other things around here. Oh, and the monsters. Yes, there do be monsters. You’ll find out about them all too soon! Ah, but manners first. I’m Sheighley Flynn, bard of the Revelmistress. I talk to just about everyone, so I will probably get a chance to see you soon too, I hope! I’ll be the short one with the lyre - or if there’s danger afoot, my Spikey Ball Stick. But don’t listen to the ones who say I talk too much. They just haven’t had enough joy of late, that’s all. ''Towns '' All right, so beginning! First of all, where can you go? There are two main towns that those of us who quest and adventure operate out of - Mistriven Falls and Fellhurst. You won’t find either of them on a map of the Zhentil Keep / Yulash region of the Moonsea, and there’s reasons for that - but I shan’t spoil them, you can just ask around. Mistriven Falls is kind of a cautious place - they’re not too fond of folks that aren’t just like them - which means if you have horns, or wings, or are of the drowish persuasion, you know, different, then you will be turned back at the gates. I think this is grossly unfair, as some of my best friends are different, but they didn’t ask me. At any rate, you might sneak in with a hood and cloak, but they be nosy at best. Fellhurst, on the other hand, is a more welcoming place, and anybody can just stroll on in! Of course, that means that some pretty mean-looking folks come about, but…well, no one ever said being an adventurer would have no dangers! Both towns have a lot of the same facilities – tailors, stores, inns, taverns, a temple, shops, an armourer, town crier, dress-shops, cloak alterer, clothing stores - ah well, I guess you can tell where my focus lies. But you can do well and get rested and supplied at either place. There’s also a bank to store your gold and a place to put items in storage, which can be handy. Especially when one of the monsters hits you really hard. You can find the storage facilities at local Inns in either town. A note – that large wet thing is the Moonsea, honest. You may have heard tales and stories of the Moonsea and the lands about…please remember, though, that not all bards are as honest and forthright as I am! Believe what you see, and what the folks hereabouts tell you. Just because you heard a story about the Cormanthor or Yulash doesn’t mean that’s what is really here. ((This is the Moonsea region, yes…but this server has a history, and at this point there are many non-canon aspects that have been incorporated into the storyline and the setting. Please don’t assume that everything is as it is in the FRCS!)) Getting there – all right, that can be easy, or hard. When you are just fresh off the boat, Mistriven Falls is really accomodating – they like to make sure new folk feel welcome. So go visit Bergal the dwarf, there on the docks, and he can give you an instant lift to any one of a number of convenient places in the town. But after you’ve been here a while, Bergal will just send you on your way – the powers that be here are pretty efficient, and they figure that as long as folks keep coming back, they can help out in other ways. So if you can’t get the free lift, you can take one for a small fee. There’s a coach what runs up to the Falls, you can buy a ticket right near Bergal and then it’s just a few steps to the coach stop! Just pay attention to the driver, and get out when you near Mistriven Falls. The ride is fun – listen and watch, it can be quite a trip! For the more experienced traveller, the path through the forest is not too long, ony a couple of miles to South Gate, and is not TOO dangerous. Or well, so they say. I personally don’t like bony men, and ones that grin all the time – well, I usually do enough smiling for any company I’m in. So if you walk, have a care at night! Law and Order – you may notice that many of the shops and businesses have chests and armoires and such close at hand. This is sometimes tempting to some of you tricksy types, I know. Just be warned, there are consequences to inexpert thievery…gaol time in Mistriven – and you don’t really want to know what happens in Fellhurst! So if you want to pry into some of those things, be careful. There are many guards in Mistriven Falls, and they are quite serious about maintaining order. Please, for the love of the gods, do not direct any violence towards the ordinary folk of the town. There are serious things they will do to you…so save your weapon-strokes for the monsters outside of town! ((attacking NPCs is a great way to mess up factions, ire the other players and DMs, and will bring you no benefit. So just don’t do it, all right?)) ''Quests '' Each town also has some folks wandering about that might pay you to do something, or find something - anything from little boys to big soldiers might need a hand! These are mostly good for those who are new to town, a great way to find your bearings, see where things are, and get a spare bit of coin. They are meant, though, to mostly be done by yourself, unless they are leading off into tricky little places like the graveyard. So anything just around town, you can handle yourself! Your mother raised you to be strong and independent, right? You especially don’t want to be showing up with a whole group of folks when you’re returning triumphant with the object of the quest. Most of these aid-seekers are kinda shy, and they’d rather express their thanks in private. ((What the overly loquacious Sheighley is trying to say here is that most of the scripted quests are designed to be done solo. If you do have a party that accomplishes a quest, make sure to de-party and have only one person collect the quest rewards - Party action plays hob with the scripts at that point. The rest can do it again another time)) ''Dungeons '' Steamworks – I spent a lot of time in the baths in Mistriven Falls before ever finding out that there is a place called the Steamworks! Look around all over the bath-house, including places where they tell you to keep out…and you’ll find a stairs down to the bowels of the place. Tis overrun by mephits and some other foul critters, and the head engineer will pay a nice bounty for mephit tails! A good place to test your mettle, by yourself or with friends. Be warned, though – there are stories about Rusty, a most disagreeable monster that periodically will be around, looking for swords and armors and such to eat. Be ready to run! ((Designed for Levels 2-6, solo-friendly. Higher level characters can go through to get gold, but will get no experience from Mephit horns.)) Sewers – There be a grate right by the armorers’ in Mistriven Falls. This leads into the sewer complexes, inhabited by mephits, beetles, spiders, goblins and worse. Watch where you step – there are tales of smugglers, thieves, and even worse the further back in the tunnels you go! ((Designed for levels 2-6, solo-friendly. Although it is always more fun, and safer, if you have friends along!)) Crypts – On the east end of town be the city graveyard, and the crypts. A frightfully scary place, there some quests from people in town that will take you out this way. Be wary! There are many different crypts, and some of them contain such concentrated evil that even the priests blanch in fear to approach them. This is NOT recommended for you to explore by yourself, unless you are anxious to see about the fugue. Take friends…take extra potions…take care! ((No level limit – some of the crypts aren’t that hard, some are very difficult! Quests into the graveyard can be quite dangerous, and it is NOT recommended that you start off by yourself going that way. Parties only, really)) Caves – on the southern outskirts of town, just outside the gates, really, are a series of caverns. They are infested with kobolds and goblins of the worst sort. There are several levels to the complex – why even a bold quester such as myself has only been to a couple! So while the upper levels can be traversed by small beginning parties, the deeper ones are more difficult. And you can go in and explore a little and return without serious danger. ((Designed for solo for levels 6-10, lower-level parties can survive. Maybe. *insert wicked laughter*)) The Kobold warrens are a specific part of the overalll cavern complex – these rather nasty creatures are prone to kidnapping poor villagers and residents! So if you are new, and have some friends, this is a highly recommended spot, for the gratitude of a rescued maiden is a prize beyond compare! ((Is that a good enough way to describe Quest XP? I thought so…)) One thing that is strongly recommended – visit the Temple of Tymora in Mistriven Falls before venturing out. There’s an area that collects donations to the gods…and any WISE adventurer will make sure that she has spent a few coin in honor of Them. A word to the wise should be sufficient! ''So the Monster hit you a little harder than you thought… '' (or ‘How to see the Fugue Plane on less than 5000 gold per day’) Yep, it happens! Even to those really good warriors with nerves of steel. You feel the darkness close in on you…your companions’ voices fade into the background…and you wake up in a place that’s not a place. The Fugue. All right, it’s not fun. In fact it’s pretty boring. Just you and a bunch of wandering souls in a really unpleasant mist. And all you really have is one thing on your mind: How the hells do I get out of here? Never fear, there’s a way back. First, find the Guardian of the Fugue. Speak to him if you would return. Of course, as is true with all ferrymen in the eternal world, a price to return is necessary. You will see a range of choices, from gold to items to some of the learnings and experience you have accumulated. You also may return to where you fell (be very careful here, friends, for what slew you is probably yet lurking!) or to the Temple of Tymora in the Falls. If you choose to forget some of what you have learned, you may disregard one worry – your memories to be lost only go back so far, and no farther. ((If you choose an XP loss to respawn, the amount listed on the encounter dialog with the Guardian is probably not correct, due to the XP scripts used. But rest assured, you won’t lose enough to drop you a level – the lowest you can go is to the start of the level your character is currently on Also, starting players will just respawn without penalty. Once you go up a couple of levels, though, watch out!)) When you return, it is all right to display great thanks to your restorer, and even though you are a hero, it is good form to let the exhaustion and fatigue of a trip down the “Fugue Falls” be apparent. Although we face death regularly, a return trip from the fields of the gods is taxing on both the body and spirit! ''Experience '' We’re a competitive lot, we questers. “How many seasons have you been out here, greenhorn?” and other such boasts are common in the taverns. Here on the Moonsea, you can say whatever you like – and the only way anyone will discover your true mettle is out in the fields. We all love that moment of enlightenment, where we unlock the secret to new powers, skills, spells – and to preserve that sense of excitement, and delight, the gods here have ensured that no one will know exactly when that glimpse of insight will occur! It is one of the features that make this a most special place. ((The amount of XP your character has is hidden from you. You will see messages like “You have accumulated XP” or “DM-Granted Bonus” rather than a specific number of experience points for a kill or an event. This hopefully preserves the sense of wonder and fun that you get when you level – and also helps to inspire role-play over grinding. You won’t actually level even if you have reached enough XP until you rest in a safe place. This prevents mid-dungeon levelling, which has always been problematic. Please don’t worry, the scripts have been gone over many many times – you actually are getting XP, and the system does work. Try not to think about that, and just concentrate on having fun!)) ''Taking Care of Your Gear '' You will also notice that your weapons and armor and such-like get a bit – dull after a time. Frayed and beaten down, sort of like a tavern bouncer at the end of a Greengrass celebration. Each of us has the ability to check on our gear when we want, and if it is getting degraded due to poor condition, then tis time to go to the master armorer! For a small fee per item, he can repair your armor or blade back into tip-top condition. There are also some questers around with this skill, and you can learn it yourself. This is something that sometimes catches new folk by surprise, but we’ve learned to be cautious folk here in the Falls. So oil your armor and polish your sword often! ((Use the widget that you got on creating your character to check on the status of any melee item – armor, shield, hand-held weapons. If you don’t repair them periodically, the overall wear and tear will cause them to start losing functionality. Your weapons get minuses to hit, armor gets negatives to AC…eventually they will break outright.)) ''Spells '' Pretty pretty rubies…sparkling emeralds…glittering sapphires. Unfortunately, they are not always used just to enrapture a comely maiden as a gift, hereabouts. No, these and other fine gems are the components used to cast spells. There are some fine tomes that will allow you to see what gems to use for which specific magicks, and if you are a caster you should have brought your bag for gems with you! So many folk need gems to use their powers, and there are many places in the wilds here where you may find pretty gems in treasure hordes or forgotten mines. Unless you have certain skills, you may not be able to tell what kind of stone it is, or whether it is valuable. Fear not! In Mistriven Falls there is a shop by the Town Portal that is dedicated to identifying gems for a nominal fee. It also has a decent selection of gems for purchase. ((You should have a book listing spell components and a spell component bag on your character at creation if you are playing a spell-casting class. Ping a DM in game if you are missing one.)) Spell-casting in Mistriven Falls is severely frowned upon! Well, at least where anyone can see you. This is, alas, the natural result of some very difficult times that the residents here have gone through! But really, they are quite skittish about anything that smacks of magicks, even basics such as healing spells. So if you really want to do some casting, indoors in private be the place to do it. And the priests at the Temple of Tymora are quite adept anyway! ''Adventures '' (or, ‘The DM is always right. It’s reality that needs a reboot sometimes’) Many times around these parts, the perils that threaten are so vivid that the town authorities or other interested parties will organize a response. They do this by posting notices in taverns and other public places ((*ahem* the "DM Events and Quests" board on the forums)) and ask for bold questers to come to their aid. If you enlist to face down a hideous monster, it is decidedly BAD form to not show up at the appointed time and place without some advance warning. The authorities have long memories, and untrustworthy adventurers, even the nastiest and evilest, will not be viewed favorably in the future! ((please, please notify the DM running an event if you cannot make it as scheduled. They put a lot of work and effort into designing stories for us, and the least we can all do as players is show consideration for them and the other players involved by communicating when something comes up!)) As is appropriate when such an epic adventure occurs, one should listen to the voice and directions of the gods. Should one fall in combat, wait to bargain with the Guardian until the gods have spoken to you regarding your fate ((i.e. don’t respawn til the DM says what to do)). ''Please show respect for the gods and your companions as you endeavor to smite whatever opponent has arisen! ''((please, no OOC chatter during an event, don’t argue with a DM during the event, and stay in character!)) For those of you on such perilous quests, using the voices that the gods can hear ((Party chat)) ''is recommended once the quest begins. For any who are NOT on a quest being directed by the gods, please refrain from using that special voice as it is considered quite rude, and such behavior can make the gods cranky. Not a good thing! 'Treasure' '' (or, ‘Axes are handy, gold may be dandy, but wands of Isaac's Greater Missile Storm are a girl's best friend') Some venture and quest for the purest of motives. Some are looking for excitement. Some are serving their deities. But let's face it - everybody searches the dead bodies when the fight is over. Even when it's an exploded acid mephit. And this is good, because the gods declare that it is right and beneficial to do so. Leaving things behind is just littering, and not joyous at all! ((Please pick up all loot, if it must be trashed immediately you can use the OOC room to get rid of it. Unclaimed loot causes lag.)) And as much as we love glittery, magical goodies, the gods do punish certain types of greed. While tis true that some beasties in these parts breed with incredible rapidity, it is not fair to go back and beat on them more than once a day. There is a delicate, beauteous balance to the world, as any druid can tell you, and repeated culling of any native population is upsetting to that balance. The gods do frown upon such things. ((no camping, please!)) ((Suggestions for other categories please!!)) Category:Help Category:Required Reading